Power suggestion

[tranthao2000 0]

Can anyone help me with this. I decided to go with the RG6 on the setup or 4 cam. Which kind of power cable that I'm going use? since I'm going run the coaxial by myself, so I'm assuming that I have to make the power cable to each of the cameras. I don't really know what kind of the power plug that I will use, and where can I get those plugs.

 

thanks

[scorpion 0]

First question that I have is what kind of RG 6 are you using.

 

I know that you are using the right kind of wire, but for the DIY that is reading this post I will throw this in.

 

Do not use RG 6 used for cable TV. Cable TV, or Sat dishes are using a higher freq, and the signal travels around the outside of the center conductor. Cable TV, and Sat companies will use RG 6 that is a metal center conductor with a copper coating around the center conductor. This is great for the higher freqs. This is why you will see two price ranges on RG 6.

 

You will want to use RG 6 that is all copper center conductor. A camera's signal is at a lower freq, and they tend to travel on the "inside" of the wire rather than around the outer edge. Copper center conductor is going to be more expensive than CATV RG 6. The metal center with copper coating is easly purchased at any big box hardware store so be careful!

 

You can use a 16, or an 18 guage two conductor wire. Here again look at the wire. Is it silver, or is it copper color? If it is copper colored wired then you should be good to go. If it is silver then stop, and read the specs on the wire. You will want the least amount of resistance as possible. For real short runs it realy does not matter what kind of wire you use, but still do it right the first time. When in doubt use a larger wire. Do not buy that small cheap "speaker" wire to run power to your cameras. Are you using IR? How much power does it draw? How far are you running the wire?

 

You can find the power leads just about at any CCTV site on the internet.

 

Here is a trick for the DIY, or for a budget job. Buy the transformer power supplys that I call "wall warts". Cut the end off. Solder or use the butt connectors to attach your two conductor wire to the power supply. At the camera end attach the piece that you cut off of the transformer.

 

You just saved $5.00 a piece for the power "pigtail" or $20.00 on a 4 camera job!

 

If you have a "boxed" power supply, and you are electronically "savy" then you can connect the two conductor to the screw terminals on your power box. At the camera end you can (if you are brave) cut the power connector off of the camera, and connect it to the two conductor with a butt connector, or you can solder it.

 

I am not supporting this website it just came up on a quick google search. This is for product reference only. You can find these at any hardware store.

 

http://www.crowbarelectricalparts.com/Butt_Connectors.htm

 

What do you think?

[cachecreekcctv 0]

Just always make sure you have an OverCurrent device on any power feed. I don't think I would ever power straight to a camera, without having some sort of inline fuse, CB, etc. To me, fuses are preferable. When you plug something into a receptacle, that circuit feeding the transformer has an overcurrent device (probably a home circuit breaker) but when you take power from the transformer, DC power supply, etc. you don't have the same overcurrent protection on the load side. Fuses serve 2 purposes, #1 overload, and #2 short circuit . In a large commercial building, with 3 phase power feed, even on a single-phase circuit inside that building, you have to take in account the possibility of tremendous short-circuit current . I am a firm believer in fuses, that's for sure.

[Securitymaster 0]

This is why I love siamese, and a good power box. One run, and everything falls just in place.

[cachecreekcctv 0]

I use to almost always use the Siamese-type cable. But, when going in an attic, or crawlspace, I am not sure if it is "plenum-rated", though. Had to run Belden Plenum-rated cable in those cases. I sort of changed my philosophy on that, as with the Belden 16/2 or 18/2, I can put my power supply somewhere different, usually on a wire shelf, so I can have a UPS ahead of it, and not have it in the same location as the DVR, monitor, etc. Most of my power supplies have cooling fans on , so the noise is something to consider also.